SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has a duty to its citizens to be far more forthcoming over its decision to test gardens at dozens of homes for signs of contamination.

The council is planning to conduct soil studies at 40 homes in three streets in the town, based on the site’s history as a railway siding and metal works.

No one will quibble with that. If there is a potential health hazard it needs to be investigated thoroughly.

However, as with everything, looms the question: Why?

And that is where SODC is falling down so far, in our opinion.

The council says the testing is prompted by a lack of information and that this site has been “identified” for investigation by checking old maps.

But the current houses have been there since the 1970s, the history of the land must have been known and the powers being used are under a 1990 Act.

Common sense dictates that either there has been some sort of development, or the council faces serious questions about why it has taken a couple of decades to get around to realising this investigation is needed.

Those families in Wallingford deserve to know the answer as to why.